In the field of military science, the destruction of enemy land mines in a systematic manner is complicated by the fact that under battlefield conditions exploding enemy shells and grenades can create a smoky fog-like condition in the atmosphere where the enemy mines have been laid. Such smoky conditions make the detection of enemy mines difficult. Once an enemy mine field is detected (or located) destruction of the mines is complicated by the fact that enemy fire may be concentrated on the general area in front of the mine field. Use of foot soldiers in the area can be quite dangerous.
It has been proposed to utilize tanks as mine destruction mechanisms. In one experimental proposal, a conventional M60 tank was equipped with a system of mine rollers constructed generally along the lines of the mine roller system shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,455,636. Additionally, the tank was modified to include a missile-launched explosive-charged line mechanism coiled within a container mounted atop the tank. The line had a length of about one hundred twenty yards. The explosive-charged line extended along a strong flexible cable coextensive in length with the line. One end of the cable was attached to the missile; the other end of the cable was attached to the container carried by the tank.
In a test of the above-described system, a tank, modified as described above, was driven toward an area containing rows of buried simulated enemy mines. As the tank approached the mined area, its mine-roller system passed over a mine in the first row of the mine field, causing that mine to detonate; the mine rollers were designed to have sufficient mass to absorb the blast of a single exploding mine.
When the first mine was detected by the mine roller system, the tank was stopped and backed up a distance of approximately fifty feet. The aforementioned missile was then fired from the tank over the simulated enemy mine field. The propellant charge in the missile was selected so that the missile was caused to land at a point about one hundred yards from the tank; during its flight the missile drew the aforementioned cable and explosive-charged line out of a container mounted on the tank. When the missile landed the cable and explosive- charged line lay on the terrain in a substantially straight line spanning the rows of enemy mines. The explosive-charged line occupied an area between the missile and the tank.
After the missile had landed, the explosive charges along an approximately one hundred yard length of line were detonated. The explosive charges were of sufficient destructive force to explode any enemy mines previously planted along the one hundred yard length.
Using the described system, it is believed possible to clear a path width of about fifteen feet (seven feet or so on either side of the charged line). A path of this width is sufficient to permit passage of a friendly tank through an enemy mine field, if the path is adequately marked, e.g., by means of colored dye, powder, marker flags, etc.
The present invention is directed to an armored box mechanism designed for installation on an M60 tank to enclose and protect the missile unit and explosive-charged line assembly utilized in the above-described mine destruction system. Such protection is needed especially during the time when the tank is searching for the enemy mine field and launching the missile.